Draper • Shortstop Kylee Schmitke never believed she would win a state championship at Juan Diego.

Not until this year.

Now, with a Soaring Eagle team that entered this week assured of a share of the Region 11 softball championship, Schmitke, Juan Diego's only senior starter, has newfound confidence in her team.

"I didn't think we had the skills to pull it off," she said, "but this year they've proved me wrong."

Despite a rocky start at a preseason tournament in St. George, the Soaring Eagle has gone 12-7 and beaten every team in a tough Region 14 at least once. That includes, of course, three-time defending state champion Bear River.

The 5-4 win on April 29 over the Bears was the high-water mark of the year for Juan Diego. After losing 18-7 to Bear River earlier in the year, pitcher Erin Fitzpatrick locked down and held the high-powered Bears to just one run through the first five innings.

"I think we just proved that we can beat anybody," Schmitke said, "even the defending champs."

Juan Diego has long been a region contender, but it hasn't advanced past the state quarterfinals since it moved up to 3A in 2006.

That improvement, players and coaches said, can be credited to a change in the team's mindset.

First-year head coach Paul Archuleta has pounded into the girls' heads that they can do something special if they remain focused and work as a team.

"They're so tired of putting something together, only to get booted out in the first round," Archuleta said. "That's been our ghost — our demon — the last three years."

The Soaring Eagle has bought into the philosophy, and at the forefront has been Fitzpatrick.

A junior, Fitzpatrick has emerged as the team's rock in the circle. She entered this week with a 10-2 win-loss record, had thrown one no-hitter and come within a late hit of another.

She takes pressure off of her defense, Schmitke said.

"We just kind of chill," she said. "We field if she needs us, we encourage her. She does most of the work for us."

Fitzpatrick is as focused as any member of the Soaring Eagle. After an up-and-down sophomore season, she rededicated herself in the offseason.

"You couldn't ask for somebody more dedicated, with the desire and drive," Archuleta said.

With her work ethic has come a sense of perspective when it comes to Juan Diego's goals. She was a force in the win over Bear River but recognized that it was just a regular-season win. The more critical ones will come later.

"We know that we can't be content with that win," she said. "There's a lot more good teams out there we haven't played yet."

Schmitke, though, thinks a very important message was sent with that game and all of Juan Diego's other wins.

"We've showed the other teams that we're not underdogs anymore."

boram@sltrib.com

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Facebook: facebook.com/tribpreps Soaring Eagle has arrived

Juan Diego overcame a 1-4 record to wrap up the regular season 12-7, assured of a share of the Region 11 championship.

Shortstop Kylee Schmitke is the Soaring Eagle's only senior starter.

Among Juan Diego's wins are two against perennial Region 11 power Grantsville.